Statistical modeling of the process of water consumption by animals

Determining the daily water consumption on a livestock farm and constructing graphs of daily water consumption is a complex, time-consuming and a process requiring long-term observations. To reduce the time spent on observing the process of water consumption by animals on a cattle farm and processing experimental data, we propose to use the method of statistical modeling using a computer. Modeling is performed using random variables that take into account such parameters as the physiological state of animals, productivity, feeding time, water consumption temperature, meteorological conditions. The process of water consumption by animals and as well as their interaction with the automatic drinking systems should be attributed to the system of mass service. Accordingly, we assume that the cows in the cowshed, which are the main consumers of water, serve as sources of service requests. Water consumption by animals characterizes a certain sequence of requests for service, formed randomly and makes up an incoming stream of requirements. The simulation process determines the water consumption by animals that is given by the distribution of the service time of received applications, as well as the number of simultaneously serviced animals and the number of service places, while serviced applications form an outgoing flow. The assessment of the quality of animal care was carried out on the basis of the following indicators: the distribution of the number of simultaneously drinking animals and the distribution of the duration of water consumption by animals. The process of modeling took the following states of the system under consideration: an animal has a need for water that partially or completely satisfied its thirst. When developing the model, the following requirements were taken into account: an animal cannot start consuming water from an automatic drinker before the time relative to which all subsequent events are counted; an animal that has fully used the simulated water consumption time is considered fully serviced and leaves the automatic drinking system. As a result of modeling the process of water consumption, the intensity and duration of water consumption by animals were established, as well as the number of simultaneously serviced animals.